Fallen Angels
by Coconut1214
Summary: Future Fic. Clark was destined to be Superman, Lex his enemy. But one major tragedy nine years ago changed the destiny of another friend one Clark thought was dead. Some chapters may be rated R.
1. Prologue

This is my take on Chloe's absence in the Superman cannon.  
  
**Warning Spoilers:** Events after Covenant and some spoilers for Season 4 with Lois Lane.  
  
Summery: Future Fic. Clark was destined to be Superman, Lex his enemy. But one major tragedy nine years ago changed the destiny of another friend one Clark thought was dead.  
  
Prologue  
  
He was walking through Metropolis, blowing off some steam from a meeting that didn't go as planned. _ They'll see things my way_ he thought as he almost bumped into someone.  
  
"Lex" said a dark haired man with glasses  
  
"Clark" Lex said  
  
"Uh how are you?" asked Clark pretending to be polite  
  
"Fine and yourself?"  
  
"Fine" Clark answered quickly.  
  
"Clark I just found the cutest..." Said a woman as she grabbed Clark's hand. Clark glared at Lex as he looked her up and down.  
  
"Lois Lane, how are you?" asked Lex  
  
"Lex Luthor, Oh my God" exclaimed Lois excitedly  
  
"You two know each other?" Clark asked with looking at both of them.  
  
"Yeah, we met about nine years ago when she was in Smallville"  
  
"I was investigating my cousins death" she replied  
  
"Your cousin, who was your cousin?" asked Clark  
  
"Chloe Sullivan"  
  
Lex looked at shocked face of his once best friend.  
  
"Ch..Ch..Chloe was your cousin?" he barely stuttered out.  
  
"Yes, I forgot you're from Smallville too. Did you know her?" Lois asked  
  
Clark was still trying to grasp the fact that Chloe was her cousin, so he just stared at her trying to see if he could see Chloe in her.  
  
"Chloe was one of Clark's good friends" Lex replied for Clark _One that he never treated very well _ Lex thought angrily.  
  
"Oh, right I think Chloe may have mentioned you before"  
  
_Is that why I'm attracted to her, because she reminds of Chloe._ thought Clark  
  
"So whatever happened to your investigation, ever find anything?" Lex asked  
  
"No, I'll never be as good as Chloe was at finding out things." She sighed "And some FBI guy practically threatened to hurt my family if I dug any further into her death."  
  
"Everything is alright though," Lex asked  
  
"Yeah, because I dropped it, I knew she got herself involved into something dangerous, I just didn't know how."  
  
"Well I'm glad that nothing happened to you or your family" said Lex  
  
Clark was watching his girlfriend stare into Lex's blue eyes. Having no idea who the man really was, and how dangerous. "We have somewhere to be Lois" Clark said tugging her arm.  
  
They walked away but Lex could still hear Lois talking to Clark.  
  
"Chloe had such potential for greatness," She said with sadness in her voice  
  
_Oh if you only knew _ thought Lex walking back to his car.  
  
"Hello Lex" said a female voice as he let himself into his Penthouse.  
  
TBC  
  
A/N: I reposted this because the computer ate the last part. 


	2. Old Friend's

**This chapter is rated R**  
  
**CH 1 Old Friend's**  
  
No matter how many times he changed the locks for security reasons. She always managed to get in. Not that he minded.  
  
She was after all one of the world's top criminal masterminds. She currently resides in Chicago. Which was a smart move because she had no annoying Superhero to deal with.  
  
"You changed your hair color again" he said looking at her now black hair spilling over her shoulders. She was wearing a deep purple dress with thin straps at her shoulders. The slit on one side slid higher as she crossed her legs.  
  
"I was board" she replied.  
  
"I ran into Clark and Lois Lane today" Lex said as he placed his keys on the table.  
  
"Really, how are they?" she asked in amusement  
  
"Well Clark just found out that Lois is Chloe's cousin"  
  
She laughed, "What did he think about that?"  
  
"He was speechless"  
  
"What I find funny is that neither of them had any journalistic ambition, but now their both reporters for the Planet"  
  
"I know what you mean" Lex said as he walked over to the bar and poured himself a Scotch and poured a bourbon for her straight up, no ice.  
  
"So how are Lana and Pete?" she asked while taking her drink  
  
"Their fine, Pete decided not to run for Senate again this year. I don't think his wife was too happy about that." Lex said as he took a drink of his Scotch feeling the familiar burning as the liquid went down his throat.  
  
"I always figured Lana for a trophy wife, I just never imagined her with Pete" she said peering over her glass.  
  
"That surprised me too"  
  
"So how's their son... what's his name...oh right Clark...How could I forget" she laughed.  
  
Lex laughed with her. "I know still holding back those repressed feelings by naming her first born son after him"  
  
"Still in pink?' Chloe asked while knocking back the last of her drink  
  
"Nothing else"  
  
"That girl is beyond repressed, she's insane."  
  
"I missed you" Lex said not wanting to talk about them anymore  
  
"I missed you too" She said getting up gracefully from his leather couch and walking over to him. Lex started kissing his way down her face to her neck.  
  
"How long are you staying?" he whispered in her ear.  
  
"I leave tomorrow morning at eight. I have another business meeting" she replied by sliding her hand down his pants and cupping his hardness.  
  
Chloe then grabbed Lex's hand and led him to the bedroom. Lex wrapped his muscular arms around her and pushed her long dark locks out of the way to kiss her neck. He nuzzled her until his mouth found her throbbing pulse point. He sucked until she rewarded him with a low moan. Moving his hand to her shoulder, He then slowly took both straps and slid them down and rested his lips on her. He ran his hands down her toned arms and unzipped the back of her dress and let it fall to the floor leaving her naked form visible for him to admire. He took in her familiar vanilla scent.  
  
"Chloe" he whispered  
  
"You're the only one who calls me that" she said while she wedged her finger in the knot of his tie and deftly pulled until it came loose. Tossing his tie on the floor, she moved her fingers to the buttons on his shirt  
  
"I know" he said helping her slide off his pants and boxers  
  
"Chloe's dead Lex" she said standing back to look him in the eyes, both completely naked.  
  
"Not to me." he said smiling as he moved towards her quickly. They fell backwards on the bed. Lex kissed her, tongue probing. Chloe opened her mouth and rose up a little to force his tongue deeper into her mouth. Her hips went up as the kiss intensified.  
  
Lex took the invitation and slid inside slowly at first then faster. Her hips arched to meet each thrust until a rhythm built between them.  
  
Then the warmth spread over them taking them to another plane, a plane where noting else mattered, there was nothing except the raw feel of skin on skin, the unbearable lightness of being the only focal point of desire their desire. In polished moves they sought their pleasure without control, with a madness kept restrained too long. Their mouths crashed together, their bodies writhed and worshipped until their minds screamed, melded, and finally were left blissfully void as they cried out in pleasure.  
  
Lex collapsed on top of her, his neck lying against her face so she could feel his pulse beating.  
  
He raised himself up on his arms to stare down at her. He wiped hair from her face and smiled. He rolled off her and wrapped his arms around her as she snuggled into him.  
  
TBC  
  
A/N: See no need to worry autumngold! 


	3. Rising from the Ashes

**Ch 2 Rising from the Ashes  
**  
Lex opened his eyes to see Chloe in the mists of getting dressed. She stopped to look at him in her black bra and matching panties. Lex sat up letting the blanket slide down to his waist. "Do you have time for coffee?" he asked

"Not today" She came over to him to give him a goodbye kiss.  
  
As she was walking to the door Lex got up and grabbed her from behind.  
  
"I can't be late for the meeting" she said removing herself from his grasp.  
  
She walked out of the room.  
  
Lex quickly put on pants and threw on shirt and followed her out of his room. But he got there just in time to hear the front door close. He knew he wouldn't be able to catch her she had a habit of disappearing.  
  
Lex remembered that day, the day she walked back into his life.  
  
_MAY 2005_   
  
It the one year anniversary of her death, he was standing over her tombstone. The rain was pouring down around him; he was alone in the cemetery. He let the rain soak through his clothes.  
  
But some unknown forces made his head look up. There on a hill not far from where he was standing was a woman.  
  
The wind was blowing through her blonde hair as the rain whipped at her skin. The way the rain incased made her look like a ghost. He blinked and wiped his hands on over his face, pushing the water out of his eyes.  
  
_That can't be her_   
  
The woman started walking towards him, and some magnetic force pushed him forward too. _I'm hallucinating_

She stopped in front of him, not saying anything. This was the strongest apparition that he's seen. Her hair was longer then when he usually imagined, because in his dreams she looked exactly the same as when she died.  
  
Right after her death, he imagined he saw her everywhere. It got to the point that he was stopping every blonde haired woman he saw on the street. They almost had him institutionalized again.  
  
But this apparition wasn't going anywhere. She just stood there looking into his eyes. "Chloe" he whispered still not sure if she was a figment of his imagination. His hand went up to touch her shoulder it was solid she was real.  
  
"Chloe" he said again  
  
"Hello Lex" she said  
  
"Chloe, how...your real"  
  
"Yes Lex"  
  
She was real and she was shivering from the cold, her shirt was plastered to her chest, her jeans were soaked through. Her long blonde waves were matted to her face.  
  
"Lets go in my car"  
  
"Ok"  
  
They talked in his car, she didn't tell him where she was for the past year only that she was recovering. Her dad died in the explosion, she didn't know how she survived since she was in the house with him when it blew up.  
  
After she told him not tell anyone about her being alive she just got out of the car.  
  
"Where are you going, when will I see you again"  
  
"I'll find you" was all she said and she walked back out into the rain. Lex got out to follow her but she just disappeared in the foggy mist of the rain. He drove around to look for her but she was gone.  
  
For the next few days he was beginning to believe that she really was just a figment of his imagination, he thought his mind had made that up, to make him move on. But she came back a week later.  
  
She had only one thing on her mind Revenge!   
  
TBC


	4. Once upon a Midnight Dreary

This is just a short filler chapter.

**Ch 3 Once upon a Midnight Dreary.**  
  
She moved through the darkness as though it were part of her. She was perched on the beam connecting the expansive ceiling. Watching the guard move around the museum. Her eyes were always alert never letting her guard down. Practice and planning were the keys to success. She very good at what she did.  
  
The Raven is what they called her, because she left no fingerprints or other forensic evidence behind. She was in and out so fast they thought she flew in.  
  
She waited silently while the guard checked everything in the room, then he moved to the main corridor and she heard the familiar sound of a lock clicking.  
  
She heard the signal from her earpiece. She checked her grappling hook and then leaped from the beam, landing on the ground with no more then a whisper of a sound. She had measured the length perfectly, like always.  
  
She made her way over to the beautifully designed display cases. She walked over to the gleaming one hundred and fifty caret Emerald nestled on red velvet cushion. Her client was willing to pay millions for this piece.  
  
She never really cared about the money; she didn't even need to do this. She did it for the excitement. She loved the thrill of stealing.  
  
She remembered back when she lived in Metropolis and shoplifting at nine, just to see if she could. The dangers of getting caught gave her a natural high. Of course after candy she went to clothes. But even that got boring; she was always seeking the next big thrill. That's when she met Justin in fifth grade. She was often board at school, her mind worked faster then the other kids. With Justin she was able to have an intelligent conversation, and then he showed her the world of hacking. She quickly excelled at that. Breaking into computer systems made stealing easier.  
  
Then her dad moved her to Smallville, the small town gave her more practice in breaking and entering. With everyone knowing everyone she had more of chance of being caught and she even got to write about what she discovered in her paper.  
  
She made her way back up to the roof and closed the hatch. She replaced the Emerald with a clever copy. Since it was a holiday no one would even know the real Emerald was missing until Monday, by then it would it would be out of her hands. The whole job took ten minutes.

TBC


	5. Risky Buisness

**Ch 4 Risky Business**  
  
Lex rode the elevator up to the top floor of the high rise. He walked out and knocked on the door.  
  
He heard the footsteps approaching. The thick oak door opened smoothly and a tall muscular man was standing there. He had blond hair that was cut short on the sides and gelled into short spikes on top his eyes were a pale blue and not at all friendly.  
  
_Why can't Chloe have an old Butler like everyone else?_ Lex thought while staring at the well-built man before him.  
  
Roane was the blond man's name. He led Lex into the foyer of the apartment. Another man walked up to him. He was slimmer then Roane, but was as dark as night. His eyes glowed eerily. He was very graceful for a man as he checked Lex for weapons. Lex knew not to carry in her presence but was checked anyway. The man moved away as a lithe as a cat. Lex would have thought this man was a vampire if he wasn't standing in direct sunlight.  
  
He hated the fact that Chloe surrounded herself with handsome men. All of her bodyguards were good-looking. He felt the rage rise deep inside his chest wondering if these men ever shared her bed.  
  
While they were together, they were not exclusive. He bedded other woman, granted he was thinking of her the whole time. But the thought of another man touching her and making her scream made him insane with rage.  
  
All of her men were ex-mercenaries, assassins or even ex-military intelligence.  
  
Roane lead him through 743 square foot Penthouse. At just 26 years old she made herself a billionaire. Her money was gained legally but used for her illegal ventures. In this house she was known has Natalie Ryan _one of her many alias' . _Natalie owned Higher Frequency one of the most profitable Science Magazines.  
  
She went to college at the University of Illinois and received a degree in Business. She became interested in science because they too discovered the truth; through her contacts she met many scientists who gratefully accepted the job working for her.  
  
He walked through her apartment that she had decorated with mostly modern furniture the apartment's color scheme was purple and red. He saw her sitting on her sleek French couch illuminated by the sunlight shining through the windows. The light shined on her like an angel, which Lex knew she wasn't.  
  
She was sitting on the couch with her legs crossed and her hand placed gently on her face, her fingers lightly touching her soft lips. His heart about stopped when she smiled at him.  
  
"Well Lex, what do I owe this unexpected visit for" she said  
  
Two more men were standing on both sides of her. Dressed casually in shirts and khakis. But Lex knew they had heavy firepower underneath their clothes. One had brown hair the other had black cut military style. Both had brown eyes that were cold and uninviting. Both glared at Lex like they wanted to kill him. All of them would guard her with their life. Lex had no idea how she got them to be so loyal, but that just brought images of them in bed with her. He calmed his rage and looked deep into her eyes, which were back to her natural green today. He didn't get to see them that often so he just stared for a while.  
  
"Lex?" she called out when she saw him standing there not talking or moving.  
  
"Oh right" he cleared his throat. "I have a business proposition for you Miss Ryan. If your interested"  
  
"Business? Really?" she said uncrossing her legs and leaning forward. "Well I'm listening"  
  
"It's a private matter," Lex said looking up at her guards.  
  
She looked at him and then nodded to her men and they nodded back at her and left.  
  
"There's a military base that has some incriminating files on me" Lex said after waiting a minute to make sure they left.  
  
"And those files could hurt your business" she said leaning forward.  
  
"Exactly"  
  
"Do you know where this base is?" she said tilting her head slightly  
  
"It's in Arizona, I don't know the exact location"  
  
"And you want me to steal those files." She said leaning back "Don't you have people on your payroll to take care of this" Chloe said while getting up.  
  
"None that can get done in twenty-four hours"  
  
She smiled at him "I'm flattered that you think so highly of me"  
  
"Well I had heard that you're the best" He said smirking at her  
  
She nodded her head at him "Ok" she replied.  
  
"I wasn't expecting you to agree so quickly, we haven't even discussed payment" Lex said surprised  
  
"So now I need to get paid for my services" she said with a smile  
  
Lex laughed  
  
"Money I have Lex, I'm quite board and your business proposal sounds exciting."  
  
"Here's all I could find on the base, I'm sure your team will find more" he said handing her the file.  
  
"Of course" She said taking the file and looking through it.  
  
Another one of her men came into the room. "Find the whereabouts of this building" she told him  
  
"Right away" A brown haired man said and quickly left.  
  
_How many men are here?_ thought Lex  
  
"I cancelled your reservations at the Drake" she said to him after the man left  
  
"You knew I was here?"  
  
"This is my city Lex, I know everything" she replied slyly.  
  
"Of course, I apologize." he replied  
  
"Unless you don't want to stay here" she said walking to look out her windows.  
  
"I didn't know if you would have company or not" Lex said as he brushed long strands of her hair aside and kissed the nape of her neck and looked through the floor to ceiling windows at a breathtaking view of the city.  
  
She turned around and he wrapped his arms around and kissed her then -- deeply.

Her hand went up to the base of his neck and his lips moved on hers in a cherishing kiss. His fingers tenderly traced the curve of her cheek before delving into the silky softness of her hair and she moaned into his mouth while trying to draw him closer. Slow nipping kisses flowed naturally deeper as her tongue demanded entrance to his mouth, the surge of electricity arcing around and between them.  
  
Before he got to her bedroom door his shirt hit the floor. "You're so impatient," he chided as he carried her through the doorway.  
  
"Remember to thank me later" were her last words before her lips devoured his, and her foot kicked the bedroom door closed.  
  
TBC


	6. The Heist

A/N: Disclaimer: Carter Bickson belongs too Clint Carpenter from DC Smallville comics, He's part of the Chloe Chronicles contiuation.

**CH 5 The Heist  
**  
Lex woke up the next morning to see the bed empty. But then he remembered that he was in her house, so she couldn't have gone anywhere. He pulled out a pair of boxers and put on a robe from a drawer that she gave him a while ago.  
  
He padded out into the enormous Penthouse and followed the sound of her voice, coming from the kitchen. He walked in and pulled his robe closed when he saw a man sitting across from her. They were looking at a large piece of paper that was on the table in front of them.  
  
Chloe looked up and smiled "Good Morning honey" she said and motioned for him to come closer to her.  
  
He did and leaned down to kiss her lightly on the lips, but she pushed her hands on the back of his head, drawing his tongue in her mouth.  
  
When she pulled away he had to pull his robe even tighter. He looked over to see who the man was. "Bix" he said  
  
"Luthor" the dark haired man replied.  
  
Carter Bickson was the only other person that knew Chloe's true identity. Bix as he liked to be called was an ex-Navy Seal who did black ops and an ex-member of my father's Deletion Force. When she was seventeen she helped him escape across the boarder before he could be deleted.  
  
She asked him to come back one day and he did. She introduced him to Bix when they decided to take down Lionel. Bix too led a life in secret; his identity was hidden to world like hers. He trusted her more then anyone and gladly followed her back into the life of crime.  
  
Out of all her men, maybe this was the one who shared her bed. He couldn't expect her to be monogamous if he wasn't. Maybe they should talk about that.  
  
Chloe could see the homicidal rage burning in Lex's eyes as he looked at Bix. She thought many times of telling him that none of these men ever shared her bed. Men were competitive by nature and would fight if one got better treatment then the rest. She needed their loyalty.  
  
She enjoyed when he got jealous, it made her feel like it was more then just great sex for him, maybe he cared about her like he used too.  
  
"I'll have the files for you by midnight" she said.  
  
"Sounds good" he replied while pouring himself a cup of coffee.  
  
"Do you want us to take care of the building as well Luthor?" Bix asked  
  
"I'll leave that up to your expertise" Lex replied taking Bix's seat across from Chloe  
  
"Ok, I'll go see, what kind of video footage the other's have of the base" Bix said and he left knowing that Chloe wanted to be alone with Lex.  
  
You already have the access codes?" Lex asked  
  
"Yes had them last night"  
  
"That was quick" he replied.  
  
"So what do these files have on you that makes you want them so quickly" She said bringing the coffee cup to her lips.  
  
"It has things that I rather not have made public" He said  
  
"Are you going to tell me what were looking for" she said smiling and got up  
  
He got up and leaned in closer to whisper in her ear what was in the files and then kissed her. She moaned against his mouth loving the feeling when his hands when they explored her body.  
  
"Uh excuse me" said a voice  
  
Chloe whipped her head around to see who interrupted her moment with Lex.  
  
"ah sorry boss, but we should leave for the helicopter if were going to get this done tonight"  
  
Chloe looked at the clock on the wall. "Your right Jason we should go.. Just give me a minute"  
  
He nodded and went to prepare the rest of the team  
  
"Your going with..into the building?" Lex asked  
  
"Of course Lex"  
  
"I didn't think you would go, I thought you would just send a team in"  
  
"If you want something done right you have do it yourself" she said  
  
"It might be dangerous" he said worried  
  
"Lex I live for danger" she said smiling  
  
Looking at her face, knowing that there was no way he could talk her out of going along. He should have asked some one else, but she was the only one he trusted to give him files.  
  
She turned around to walk out the room he grabbed her and kissed her "Chloe...be careful" he whispered in her ear.  
  
"Always" she said kissing him one last time. "Wait for me at midnight" with that she left.  
  
Lex went back in her room to get dressed, he was quickly sent out the door by one of the men that were left behind.  
  
He hoped she would be ok; he wouldn't be able to live with himself if something happened. For the first time he was realizing that she was almost always putting her life in danger.

* * *

Up ahead a fortress loomed, a stark, sprawling four-story stone building with a formidable entryway, and gun turrets on every corner. Searchlights strobed the grounds, lighting up 12-foot high fences topped by concertina wire, making the place look like some huge beast contained within a cage  
  
It was a moonless night -- which was just fine with Chloe. The deeper the darkness, the better chance they had of pulling this off.  
  
Chloe and Bix studied the bases blueprints, once again so not to miss anything. She watched the dark landscape zoom by with her night-vision goggles. This place was empty except for an armful of guards. She looked over to her team and nodded.  
  
They stopped the Jeeps a few miles from the base and got out. They ran in the cover of darkness to some little bushes in the other wise barren desert.  
  
Chloe set up her sight, took aim and pulled the trigger. Her target fell to the ground before his mind could register what happened. The only sound that could be heard was the rest of the guards as they fell.  
  
Chloe looked at her watch and silently counted to three. Suddenly the lights went out and they ran to the fence, they easily cut through it now that the electrical charge had been shut off.  
  
The other part of her team was busy in a warehouse with video footage they had taken earlier. So all the Military bases watching this one would only see guards walking around. It paid to have Military men on her team.  
  
Bix, Roane and Jason came with her to the front of the building. The rest moved the fallen soldiers out of the way.  
  
She entered the code she memorized and the sound of gears grinding was heard as the metal panel slid open. She made her way to the back of the room to the security panel, she entered another code was brought into the main computer room.  
  
With just a few keystrokes she brought up a glowing map of the base, showing her where the vault was that held the secret Military files. She was right this was much more exciting then stealing jewels.  
  
They ran with guns drawn to the other doorways. It was supposed to be empty but you never know. She entered another code to enter the room. She had the vault open in seconds and was in the room searching for the files.  
  
She found them, pulled them out with her gloved hands and looked through to make sure they had everything he said it would. She looked around the room, these were all secret Government files here, and she debated if she should take any. They could always be useful for blackmail.  
  
She decided against and helped her men pour gasoline over all the files. They each set up bombs all over the room and set them for two minutes.  
  
Chloe put the file in her bag and ran out of the room.  
  
They ran to the Jeeps that were already waiting. As they were driving away her team pushed the detonators and building exploded in a fiery ball. They had made sure the building was empty she didn't like to kill.

When the guards woke up all they would be guarding was a pile of ashes.  
  
Chloe kept her face staring straight ahead as the building went up in flames. She couldn't look because she still could remember all to well of what happened to her. The feeling of intense heat as it peeled away at her skin and flames that danced around her body.  
  
TBC


	7. The Inferno

A/N: This may be a little AU being that Chloe never interacted with the Superman characters. So if I have anything wrong with Superman myth please feel free to tell me. But this is also mainly a Chlex story. But don't worry Superman (Clark) will be making more appearances later on.  
  
**CH 6 The Inferno**  
  
/May 2004/   
  
She took one last look at the SUV that brought them here. The man in the passenger seat smiled at her. She didn't like that smile, but she didn't know what to think anymore.  
  
_They were F.B.I., they were her to protect her right? Yeah sure_ she thought walking slowly towards the house.  
  
She had no other choice but to trust them. She followed her father into the house, he looked back at her and smiled impressed with their new living arrangements. She managed to smile weakly at him, still weary about the F.B.I. agent.  
  
She closed the door, and all she saw was orange glow all around her.  
  
Her immediate reaction was to close her eyes and cover her face with her arms. The force of the explosion sent her flying backwards out the door she had just closed. Lying on the ground she felt intense pain on her arms. She tried to shake off whatever was causing the pain her mind not registering what was happening. This caused the flames to flare even more.  
  
She lay there for a few seconds, until finally she opened her eyes and saw that her body was alight with flames. She couldn't scream because the smoke was taking away her oxygen. Her brain kept sending her pain messages, but the pain was coming from everywhere.  
  
She started rolling over and over to try and put the flames out, vaguely recalling the stop, drop and roll mantra they made you memorize as kids.  
  
Suddenly she felt someone drape a wet blanket over her body and pick her up.  
  
She remembered flashing lights and a whirling noise as she was lifted into a helicopter. They injected her with painkillers, but she thought it was a waste because she no longer felt any pain.  
  
She passed in and out of consciousness as the helicopter flew through the air.

* * *

She awoke in a poorly lit hospital room. She was lying on some kind of tin foil. She tried to look up but the effort was too great. Noticing that the hospital room wasn't poorly lit, her eyesight had been badly damaged, and she saw everything through a hazy fog. 

For some reason, be it the drugs or the shock she had no fear of dying she felt no pain.

When she woke up again she was in a different bed in the special burns unit, a sterile room that had four other patients. She still could not see very well, but could make out eight bottles, four each side, hanging upside down and supplying liquid and food via drips, to her body. Apparently, people who are badly burned die of dehydration. She was also wired to a digital thermometer.

Over the weekend she had died for four minutes and was resuscitated and then kept alive until she could be moved to the special hospital she was at now. She told them if she died again don't try and bring her back.

The drugs they gave removed much of her consciousness, this was the best means of alleviating the pain, but they did not remove her feelings of intense thirst. She had to take small drinks from a glass through a bendy straw.

When she was finally conscious enough to remember, they wouldn't tell her what happened to her father, they just gave her more drugs. But their silent answers already told her the truth. Her father was dead.

* * *

She had been in the second hospital around a week, and it was time for her first operation. She was still on painkilling drugs and knew very little of what was going on around her. She was bandaged all over from chest to foot. 

She could not use her hands; her fingers and thumbs had been individually bandaged. Her arms had taken the worst of the flames. The areas of her skin that had healed sufficiently had been used to provide skin for the badly burned areas. The healthy skin had been removed in thin layers, pricked with small holes and stretched to cover a larger area and then grafted onto her legs.

Her legs looked like patchwork. She wished for death, she didn't want to go on living after what she did, her father was dead and it was her fault. There was also no telling what she looked like. When she asked for a mirror they refused. Not being allowed a mirror made her think the worst.

She looked down at her charred arms, if her face looked anything like this she didn't want to go through life like that. She knew her hair had been burnt, her face felt swollen and her eyesight was still foggy. Over a week had elapsed.

But even death wouldn't claim her.

They told her it was a good thing when the pain returned, it meant her nerves weren't that badly damaged. But everything hurt when she moved even the slightest bit. When she breathed her chest moved and the bandages rubbed. She could only lie on her back, which was burnt too but not as badly as the front. She couldn't lay anywhere comfortable without feeling pain. She wondered why had death passed her up spat her back out.

Even though she was covered in bandages she was still expected to do physiotherapy. The nurses made her move her arms about. It hurt. The bandages scraped her raw skin as she moved her arms up and down, bent her elbows and moved her fingers. Those were the times she wished for death rather then feel the pain. She realized now how important that was. Otherwise her joints would go solid and she would not be able to bend her arms at all.

Her eyesight was less cloudy and she felt herself getting better. She didn't want to get better she wanted her dad. Why did she cheat death, she should be dead.

* * *

Again she woke up in different hospital. Where she went for her second operation; for grafts to her arms. She had found out that over a night that she was unconscious she was flown to a hospital in Germany. The Witness Protection Program thought it would safer if she was out of the country. 

Each day she was having another finger unwrapped. She felt like an overgrown advents calendar.

Physiotherapy became more aggressive as bandages were removed. Finally, she was allowed to have a mirror. She used the free fingers she had to hold the mirror shakily to her face. She had her eyes closed she couldn't look right away. She had a moment of fear to see what she had become. She finally brought herself to look at her face that she hadn't seen in over a month. Surprisingly her face wasn't that badly damaged, by placing her arms in front of her face, she had saved it from being burned. She only had one small scar over eyebrow where some of the flames had jumped too. Something she could easily hide when she was able to pluck her eyebrows. _Why the hell couldn't they tell me this, instead of making me worry_ she thought angrily.

Every three days she had the bandages replaced. This was by far the worst ordeal to go through, but it could not be avoided. She had to sit in the saline bath while the bandages were unwrapped, that was not too bad, but underneath the bandages were special gauze strips which had to be removed. This involved gentle work with the showerhead, and an inch-by-inch peeling of the material, which had stuck to open wounds. She told them she didn't want the drugs; she wanted to feel the pain. Her punishment for what she did, she killed her dad, and she needed to pay for that.

* * *

She was now on her third operation. She was familiar with the routine, they wake her up, take away her drinking straw, put her to sleep with drugs, then wake her up again by moving you about on a trolley. She could barely understand what they were saying because they kept speaking in German. She kept trying to tell them she didn't speak German, so they gave her a German/English dictionary. She had plenty of time to read.. 

After that operation she awoke in a different room. She was no longer in intensive care, her legs were not supported but her knees were fixed at forty-five degrees, no doubt as a result of the month's lack of movement. She noticed that she was no longer surrounded by bottles and monitoring machinery. She also had a tutor in her room for four hours a day, so she could receive a High School diploma

As her burns healed, She was getting back more movement in her arms and hands. The dead skin started to peel away now as if she just had bad sunburn. She was peeling and itching all over.

They wanted to start her on walking after she had spent three months lying in hospital bed. Her first attempts at walking were not a success. She could not straighten her legs and she fell onto the supporting nurses arms.  
  
She was still suffering physiotherapy torture, now lifting and lowering her legs in bed and trying to straighten and bend her knees. She embraced the pain _What doesn't kill you makes you stronger right?_

* * *

Her hair fell in long blonde waves down her back as she walked out the hospital into the early morning sunshine, almost a year after the explosion. She looked almost normal, except for the burnt skin on her arms and some slight scarring on her abdomen. Those would all be fixed in time. 

She knew walking out of that hospital she was not the same person she was before. She had killed her dad even if it was not directly. He would not have died if she didn't get involved with the devil. She survived his attempt to destroy her, and she had survived for a reason. She had also learned a valuable lesson trust no one.

Chloe was gone her name was now Natalie Ryan; Natalie was born in Germany, spoke fluent English and had just graduated from High School.

Her eyes burned with a fiery anger that wasn't there before but even the heat that touched her skin could not melt the ice that surrounded her heart. She had to get back to Kansas. She had things she needed to do, and a man she needed to kill.

* * *

She remembered searching all over Smallville for him, until she found him at her gravesite. She looked at him staring at her. Did he see the burns, but then she realized she was supposed to be dead. But looking at him brought back so many memories of the nights they spent working together to get Lionel. 

She subsided her rage and walked closer to him, she was glad they were alone. When he suggested they go to his car, she went more so nobody else would see her.

She was so grateful to be speaking English; she had been speaking German for so long, although she was now fluent.

She told him her story one day, when she came to him while they were working on ways to destroy Lionel. She needed to tell someone.

* * *

/Present Day/ 

Chloe raced through the streets in her sapphire blue Jaguar as those thoughts swirled around her head. She needed to see Lex, even more then before, only he understood her pain.

TBC


	8. I Need You

**Rating - R**

**CH 7 I Need You**

* * *

I have spoke with the tongue of Angels  
  
I have held the hand of the Devil  
  
It was warm at night  
  
I was cold as stone  
  
But I still haven't found what I'm looking for.

_The Chimes Lyrics_

* * *

The clock read one minute past midnight but he was worried. She's never late. He wouldn't be able to live if she died; he needed her more then he thought he did.

When she told him what happened in that year everyone thought she died. His heart almost broke. She had no family or friends with her, she went through all that pain and suffering alone.

Lionel's biggest mistake was failing to kill her.

He was jolted from his thoughts as he heard a knock at his door. _She rarely ever used the door, something's wrong_ he thought running to answer it.

He saw her standing there she was shaking. "Chloe" he whispered as she fell into his chest. He brought his arms around her and held her close. "Chloe what's wrong" he said worried "are you hurt"

"No" she said weakly. Lex held her tighter

"Lex I'm fine" she said and pulled away her mask falling into place.

He closed the door. Like him she only opened up when she was ready.

"Here are the files" she said holding them out to him

He didn't care about the files he wanted to make sure she was ok. But he knew if he pressed the issue he would get nothing but her leaving.

"Can I take a shower?" she asked

"Of course...you don't have to ask" he replied

"Ok"

He waited patiently for her to finish. Something happened to make to make her show weakness. _she never did_ But he didn't think he would learn anything from her, she perfected her mask, like him and pushed the pain away.

Chloe walked out back into the room wearing one of his fluffy white robes normally she wears her silky purple robe that he had bought. Her black hair still dripping down her back. But again those green eyes stared out at him capturing him inside them.

In that robe she looked like that young girl he once knew, the one who didn't have the coldness in her eyes. I

t would take something big to make that girl show through, even if it's only for a minute.

She sat down on his couch hugging the robe tighter.

He sat down across from her. "Chloe" he said softly

"You can't help me Lex" she said turning her head away from him.

"I want too"

"Why?" she asked her big green eyes staring at him

"Because...I.." he wanted to tell her how he felt, but for some reason he couldn't

"You what?...Lex" she said

"I worry about you"

"You can't make my nightmares go away"

Lex looked down. She was the only one that he showed weakness too, that's what made him turn her away before. He had lost so much when he watched her walk away from him.

"I try to forget who I am Lex.. I try to bury myself...to become someone else, some one who doesn't exist" she said with her eyes closed "But when I'm with you I remember" she took a deep breath.

He looked at her. He tried to forget her too, and for three years living without her almost killed him. He had to keep telling himself that love was a weakness. He looked back over at Chloe and their eyes locked.

"You make me feel real" she whispered. Lex walked up to her and fell to his knees. He wrapped his arms around her waist and her head fell on his shoulder. She finally let the tears roll down her face, tears that she hasn't let fall in nine years. Lex too was near tears as he held her.

After a few minutes of just holding each other Chloe brought her head up and kissed the top of his. Her hands went to his face and pushed it up to look at her then she leaned down to kiss him.

The soft kiss reminded him of their first time together, he had never felt so much passion as he made love to her on the floor of his office.

His fingertips were on her knees easing them apart, his hand stoked her thighs and then slid up slowly under her robe to cup her bottom and pull her towards him.

He kissed the side of her neck, then her throat. When her head fell back against the couch, his lips trailed slowly down along the V of silkily flesh exposed by the robes lapels. "Chloe" he said hoarsely.

Chloe slid her own fingers up his smooth scalp urging him on. "Don't stop Lex" she said sliding her hand under his shirt, needing to feel his skin beneath her fingertips. She loved feeling the hard muscles of his chest.

Lex moaned as her hand cupped his growing erection. He needed her and it was more then just for sex, he loved her.

"Facciamo l'amore." She said make love too her, of course he could never deny her anything. He got one hand between them long enough to tug at the belt of her robe, and she felt the garment open up as if it were designed to slip over heated flesh.

Her hands went up to slide his shirt over his head, and then went to his pants. He had to stand up to slide them off and that earned him a groan of protest.

She slid her legs onto the couch and he fell on top of her, his mouth crushing hers. She cried out in pleasure when she could feel him inside her.

"Ti penso sempre" He said as he drove into her liquid center, filling her with a single deep thrust that left her gasping for air. Rocking together, Chloe hands reached around to grip his rippling shoulder muscles as her tongue lathed across his chin to flick playfully at the corners of his mouth. Their bodies merged together into a sea of roiling lust as her thrusting tongue matched his hips, stroke for pounding stroke.  
  
"Ich liebe dich," Chloe said in husky German as her body jerked into his and they fell deeper into the couch a breathless heap of sweat-slicked bodies. Flipping them over, she rode him hard as he reached for the throbbing point between her legs that burned for his touch. She bowed her back, her senses concentrating on his touch both inside and out as he bucked faster, the earth-shattering tremor starting deep within her core and radiating outward like wildfire.  
  
When the peak came they both shuddered from the force of the wave of ecstasy that tore through every nerve in their bodies.  
  
Chloe fell on top of him and buried her face in the curve of his neck, he breathed in the scent of her. "I love you too" he replied while wrapping his arms around her feeling her warm breath touch his skin.  
  
TBC  
A/N: Ich liebe dich - I love you

Ti penso sempre - I always think of you.


	9. What once was lost

**CH 8 What once was lost.**  
  
/December 2010/  
  
It had been three years since he last saw her, when he started hearing her name in his social circles. He tried to push her out of his mind; love was a weakness he couldn't afford.  
  
But he wasn't at all surprised to see that she rose up so quickly. She was always a brilliant woman.  
  
But what almost stopped his heart and made him choke on the scotch that he was drinking; was the mention of her husband. _She got married!!_  
  
He knew he sounded like a lunatic when he asked them to repeat what they had just said. He watched them all jump back when he shouted.  
  
They told him that Natalie's husband was murdered two days ago.  
  
He tried to calm down his racing heart; this is what he was talking about love made you weak, he couldn't lose his composure in front of them like that. But he also knew that he was nothing without her.  
  
He excused himself early from the party making up some cock and bull story about a meeting he had to plan. But by now he was at the point that he didn't care if they believed him. He had to get home.  
  
_Married; how can she get married _he thought while he was searching through the story on the computer.  
  
She apparently started dating a Science Professor from Loyola, whom she met at function she attended in her junior year. After she graduated they were married; she'd been married a little over a year.  
  
He would never forget the look on her face when he told her to go. His heart broke as he watched her face sadden then turn into a cold mask. He watched her walk out of his life and he kept telling himself it was for the best. But it wasn't; he was weaker without her by his side; he needed her, his partner in crime.  
  
He had to get her back.

* * *

She pulled the collar on her jacket tighter around her throat. It was another bitter cold night in Chicago.  
  
She walked through the night like she owned it. She wasn't afraid she lived in darkness. She had heard footfalls behind her for at least a block now. The person was walking far enough behind her not to be noticed. An ordinary person would be oblivious. But having been trained in that kind of tactic she knew she was being followed.  
  
She kept walking but her hand moved to her purse and felt the familiar weight of her Glock. She kept her pace steady and then turned sharply into an ally.  
  
Before her stalker could react she had him shoved against the wall with the Glock at his temple.  
  
"Lex?" she asked surprised. "What the hell do you want?" she said still holding the gun to his head.  
  
He was a little taken off balance by how easily she shoved him up the wall. _She's gotten stronger _he thought smiling. He knew she would sense him behind her.  
  
"I don't like games Luthor....why were you following me?" she said with an angry tone in her voice.  
  
He wanted to answer her but she looked so damn sexy holding that gun; with her long chestnut waves spilling down around her face.  
  
"Not going to answer Lex" she said accenting the last syllable. "You know your skull's to thick for a bullet" she said as she lowered the gun to his crotch.  
  
"I heard about what happened, I just wanted to make sure you were ok." He said while watching her hand holding the gun.  
  
She looked into the familiar blue eyes and lowered the gun. "You came all the way to Chicago to see how I am...how sweet" she said sarcastically and started to walk away.  
  
"Natalie" he said the name still sounded foreign coming from his mouth. She stopped.  
  
"I don't know what you want Luthor, but I'm not in the mood" she said turning to look at him. She remember all he said to her three years ago, but looking at him only slightly visible from the street lamp. Her feelings were still there; she still loved him.  
  
"I just wanted to see if you were ok" he said trying to look innocent.  
  
"A Luthor always wants something" She replied staring at his attempt to look innocent. She smirked slightly. 'I'm fine, since you're so interested"  
  
"Your husband was murdered," he said still feeling anger at saying that word.  
  
"I'm well aware of that Luthor"  
  
"And you're just fine with that?" he asked  
  
"It's my fault he's dead" she replied  
  
"What are you talking about...you were out of the country"  
  
"Well you see in my five years as some else I managed to make...some enemies.  
  
"And you upset one of them?" he asked  
  
"Yes, and he killed my husband"  
  
"Where is this man?"  
  
"He had a little accident," She said staring out into the night  
  
"Oh" he said. Impressed by how quickly she took care of things now.  
  
"Leave Lex" she said her voice sounding cold. He stood there staring at her. Then she turned and started walking away.  
  
"I'll leave" he said "But when you're ready; I'll be waiting"

* * *

He was reading the newspaper a few days later and saw the story.  
  
_"Local Chicago Businessman Joseph Salvari was found dead this morning, Police are saying that his Lexus had slipped on a patch of ice and spiraled into the frigid waters of Lake Michigan." – Kayla Quinn_

* * *

/Present Day 2013/  
  
He held her close the whole night and was surprised to see her still there in the morning.  
  
She was sitting on his chair with her legs curled under her staring out the window with a coffee cup to her lips. She was so beautiful.  
  
All the other women he was with, he wanted them to be gone when he woke up. But it was her that he wanted to stay and she never did. But she was here now.  
  
She left after they had a leisurely breakfast; she had to get back to Chicago for her business meetings. She was a busy woman and he had many things he needed to take care of too. The first thing would be to find a way to keep Superman out of it.  
  
TBC 


	10. Another Year Older

**Ch 9 Another Year Older  
**  
Lex was quickly tiring of the party. It was for him, he turned thirty-three today. But the one person he wanted to celebrate with wasn't here. He looked around at all the people who came to celebrate his birthday, business associates and of course the handful of reporters.  
  
It was only ten o'clock and Lex knew he would have to spend most of the night here so he should at least pretend to be friendly with his guests. He placed his finished drink on the tray of the passing waiter.  
  
He was about to walk over to talk to Pete when he saw a beautiful woman standing on the stairway. She was wearing a nearly backless black evening gown that showed off every curve as she slowly walked over to him. Her hair was done up elegantly leaving only whips of brown hair falling along her face. She stopped a few feet in front him. Through her stylish glasses he saw intelligent brown eyes looking up at him.  
  
"Happy Birthday Mr. Luthor" she said smiling at him  
  
"Thank you Miss Quinn" Lex replied his eyes tracing her body along every curve.  
  
"You chose a wonderful place to have the party" She said trailing her fingers up his arm  
  
"I always had great taste" he said smirking slightly at her

* * *

Mayor Thomson watched the billionaire flirt openly with the beautiful young woman. "Who is that?" he asked former Senator Pete Ross.  
  
"That's Kayla Quinn, she's a freelance reporter" Pete replied looking over at Lex "She's quite found Lex, always treats him well in her stories" He said knocking back the rest of his drink and eyeing his wife who was talking to Clark Kent.

* * *

"I'm a big fan of your work Miss Quinn" Lex said wanting to push her up against the wall and take her right here.  
  
"Thank you, and call me Kayla" she replied and took a drink off the tray that was offered to her.  
  
"I do hope this party is exciting enough for you" Lex said running his hand along her bare shoulder.  
  
"I can think of ways to make it more exciting" she said smiling and with that she turned around and left.  
  
He smiled back at her. Lex adjusted himself and went out to mingle with the rest of his guests, feeling much better then he had before.  
  
Pete watched the exchange; he was surprised to see Lex smiling. _Another brunette to add to his list of conquests _he thought.  
  
"Kayla Quinn is here, did you see her?" said Lana running up to him and linking her arm through his.  
  
"Yes" he said looking at his wife, he had finally convinced her not to wear pink to the party.  
  
"We should go talk to her, I love reading her stories" Lana said excitedly  
  
They walked up to her just as Clark and Lois did.  
  
Kayla turned around when she heard footsteps approaching her; she saw them from the mirrors that surrounded the room. She sighed and plastered a fake smile on her face.  
  
"Lois Lane, I'm a reporter for the Daily Planet" Lois said holding out her hand to Kayla.  
  
"It's a pleasure Miss Lane, Kayla Quinn" She said taking her hand.  
  
"Clark Kent" Clark said shaking her hand  
  
"I'm Lana Ross and this is my husband Pete" Land exclaimed excitedly. "I'm a big fan"  
  
"We've met, Senator Ross" Kayla said after smiling politely at Lana.  
  
"You know I always wondered one thing?" Lois said looking elegant in her red dress  
  
"What's that" Kayla replied  
  
"You're a talented writer why don't you work for one paper?" Lois asked  
  
"Yes you're so amazing" Lana said  
  
"I don't like to be tied down" Kayla replied smiling  
  
"Fair enough" Lois replied

* * *

He pushed her backwards against the door, which swung open his lips crashed against hers and his tongue plunged into her mouth. She moaned against him as he took her tongue into his mouth and began to suck hard, his tongue dancing around hers. Lex growled as she licked the roof of his mouth  
  
He pushed her further into the hotel room and shut the door with his foot, not wanting to leave her embrace. "Is this what you had in mind Miss Quinn" Lex said undoing his tie and throwing it across the room.  
  
"It's your birthday Mr. Luthor" she replied while taking off her heels and walking backwards toward the bed.  
  
TBC


End file.
